Education facilities in Grampian have a world-wide reputation for quality and innovation.

Four Nobel prizes have been awarded to Aberdeen’s research and academic institutes and five of Grampian’s secondary schools were rated in the top 20 of the best secondary schools in Scotland, in an independent newspaper poll.

Every child resident in Scotland has a right to a free place at school. Parents are legally responsible for ensuring that their children are educated. Children normally enter school in the autumn term when they are aged between four-and-a-half and five-and-a-half years old.

You can be assured that when you choose education in Aberdeen, you're choosing some of the very best institutions, resources and teachers that Britain has to offer.

Pre-school Education

In Scotland, all three and four year olds are entitled to a free, part-time pre-school place. Local authorities work in partnership with the private and voluntary sector to secure this. The funded hours are usually delivered over five sessions per week (each of around 2.5 hours) over the school year, although some authorities do have slightly different arrangements and a few providers cannot always offer the full five sessions a week.

To find your nearest facility, go to www.childcarelink.gov.uk or call free on 08000 96 02 96.

5-14 Education

The 5-14 curriculum takes children through primary school and the first two years of secondary school. The school curriculum in Scotland is non-statutory and responsibility for its management and delivery rests with education authorities and schools. However, overall the Scottish Executive sets strategic direction.

The 5-14 curriculum covers the five broad subject areas of:

• mathematics and language
• environmental studies
• expressive arts
• religious and moral education

14-16 Education

Although Scotland has no national curriculum for the 14-16 age group, schools are expected to follow certain guiding principles. For most S3-S4 pupils the core curriculum includes study within each of the following areas:

• languages and communication
• mathematical studies and applications
• scientific studies and applications
• social and environmental studies
• technological activities and applications
• creative and aesthetic activities
• physical education
• religious and moral education

For most pupils, S3 and S4 are the years when they take Standard Grade courses. In some schools, however, some or all S3 and S4 pupils take National Qualification courses.

In S5 and S6, most students will be pursuing courses of a more specialised nature, relating to personal interest, future employment or entry to further or higher education. Local authorities hold information on courses offered at schools within their area.

Further Education

Further education colleges provide education for people who are older than 16 years. There are currently 46 further education colleges in Scotland. Courses are available at a range of levels and cover a variety of subjects - some of which are traditional academic subjects, such as English or History, while others are more vocational, such as Catering or Tourism. Entrance requirements vary, but most courses require some previous education qualifications.

Aberdeen College is the largest further education institute in Scotland, servicing over 30,000 students annually. Courses are delivered in a range of formats from full-time to part-time or College to community based. The College has built a strong reputation on its state of the art facilities and progressive attitudes to further education. For more information, log on to www.abcol.ac.uk

Higher Education

Higher education institutions in Scotland provide education for people of 17 years of age and over. There are currently 21 higher education institutions, which provide a full selection of courses at sub-degree, degree and postgraduate levels.

Aberdeen's higher education and research facilities are internationally respected - particularly with regard to medicine, agriculture, life sciences, management and related disciplines. It is home to two universities - the University of Aberdeen and The Robert Gordon University. It also has six research institutes. Of the city's 25,000 graduates each year, many are skilled in the disciplines of engineering, geophysics, IT and management, reflecting the strength of these sectors in Aberdeen.

The University of Aberdeen was founded by Bishop William Elphinstone in 1495 and is the third oldest university in Scotland and the fifth oldest in the UK. Today, with almost 11,000 students, and nearly 3,000 staff, it is at the forefront of teaching and research in medicine, the humanities and sciences.

The Robert Gordon University has earned a formidable reputation for providing high quality vocational education and research, the success of which is reflected in an outstanding record of graduate employment. The University currently has approximately 9,000 students studying over 145 full-time, part-time and sandwich courses at undergraduate, post-experience and postgraduate levels. In addition, the University continues to be a leader in the field of e-learning via the Virtual Campus and award-winning Faculty Intranets.

Students can complete an ordinary (or general) degree in 3 years (full-time) or an Honours degree in 4 years (full-time) in most subject areas. Degree courses in architecture, medicine, dentistry and veterinary medicine take 5 or 6 years.

Many higher education institutions offer courses on a part-time basis and also by open or distance learning. This provides an opportunity for those who may wish to combine studies with work or other commitments.

There are around 213 primary schools (most of which offer nursery education) and 29 secondary schools in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. Five of the secondary schools in the area are rated in the top 20 of the best secondary schools in Britain as listed in the Sunday Times Newspaper in 2002. The region also has 44 special needs units, bases and schools.

Most secondary schools offer a six-year programme of education. All children must complete at least four years of secondary education. The majority of young people stay on to complete a fifth and sixth year at secondary school.

The Scottish Executive has created an excellent online resource for parents called Parentzone. Parentzone (www.ngflscotland.gov.uk) provides information on school term dates, education authority contacts, educational resources and many other useful topics.

Local Education Authority Schools

Places in schools run by the local authority are free to all school pupils and are normally offered on the basis of designated catchment areas. Parents also have a right to request a place at a school other than their local catchment area school and can do this by submitting a 'placing request' to their education authority.

International School of Aberdeen

The International School of Aberdeen has been serving the international community in the area since 1972. The school is open to both local and expatriate children and offers the International Baccalaureate Certificate and Diploma Programme, a prestigious and internationally accepted qualification for access to universities world-wide. It has been designed to accommodate varied educational needs and currently serves over 30 student nationalities.

The International School of Aberdeen
296 North Deeside Road
Aberdeen
AB13 0AB

Tel: +44 (0) 1224 732267

www.isa.abdn.sch.uk

Denominational Schools

Some parents want their children to be educated in a denominational school and provision is therefore made for state denominational schools in Scotland. The majority of these schools are Roman Catholic. Denominational schools are run in the same way as other education authority schools, except that teachers appointed to denominational schools must be approved by the denominational body concerned.

Centres of Excellence

Scotland has nine centres of excellence allowing gifted children to maximise their potential, both academically and with regard to their particular talents. These centres offer a specific focus on a child's gift, whether it be music, sport, dance or language.

See the Scottish Executive's Parentzone website for more details www.ngflscotland.gov.uk

Gaelic Medium Education

Gaelic medium education is well established at pre-school and primary school level, and there is growing provision at secondary and further education level. The provision of Gaelic medium education, like all education provision in Scotland, is determined by demand for the service balanced with the educational and economic viability of each educational unit.

A comprehensive guide on Gaelic education is available from:

The Education Officer
Comunn na Gàidhlig
5 Mitchells Lane
Inverness
IV2 3HQ

Tel: +44 (0) 1463 234 138

Email: ailean@cnag.org.uk

Home Education

Parents have a legal responsibility to provide education for their child. The majority of parents choose to fulfil this duty by sending their child to a local education authority school, but parents can also choose to provide education at home. Local authorities still have a responsibility, however, to ensure that the child is receiving a suitable education and have a duty to enforce school attendance if they are unsatisfied with the education that is being provided at home.

Further information on home education can be obtained from:

Education Otherwise
PO Box 7420
London N9 9SG

Tel: +44 (0) 1283 532 547

Email: enquiries@education-otherwise.org

Independent and Special Schools

There are two kinds of fee-paying schools in Scotland: independent schools and grant-aided special schools. Independent schools look after their own day-to-day affairs, but are subject to inspection to ensure they maintain acceptable standards of education. Grant-aided schools provide for a wide range of special educational needs.

For more information on independent schools in Scotland, contact:

Scottish Council of Independent Schools
21 Melville Street
Edinburgh
EH3 7PE

Tel: +44 (0) 131 220 2106

www.scis.org.uk